Prof. Hoang talks to local TV about the OCA''s Fun Run + Learn campaign in Hanoi on Monday.

OCA/IAGOC holds Fun Run + Learn in Hanoi

22 Jul 2013

Hanoi, Vietnam: The OCA’s Fun Run + Learn campaign to promote the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, in 2014 took place at Hanoi Amsterdam School on Monday. After an early-morning 1.3km Fun Run around the school’s grounds, the same 200 students aged 14 and 15 took part in the Fun Learn quiz to test their knowledge of the OCA, Asian Games and sport in general.

In the afternoon, 30 students joined the Youth Reporter Project, with a 90-minute workshop followed by a 60-minute essay-writing competition based on the information gathered during the workshop. Welcoming the guests from OCA and the Incheon Asian Games Organising Committee to Hanoi, Prof. Hoang Vinh Giang, Vice President of the Vietnam Olympic Committee, explained the concept of the Asian Games to the students during the opening ceremony.

He said the Asian Games was the second biggest sports event in the world after the Olympic Games and next year’s Asiad in Korea would involve 13,000 athletes and officials from 45 National Olympic Committees. “The Asian Games is not only about sports competitions, it is also to build solidarity among the nations for a peaceful world and to foster friendship and understanding among the young generation in Asia,” he said.

When Prof. Hoang informed the students that the 18th Asian Games would be hosted by Hanoi in 2019 and feature 36 sports, the students burst into applause. “We will try to be in the top 10 countries in Asia in 2019. After China, Korea and Japan I think we can even fight for fourth place against Thailand, Iran and Kazakhstan,” he added.

Representing IAGOC, Lim Byung-Tae congratulated Vietnam on finishing third in the recent 4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Incheon – a test event for next year’s Asian Games. “We will do our best to ensure that your athletes show their best performance ever in 2014 as well,” said Mr Lim, Director General for Public Relations.

“Now that Hanoi will host the 18th Asian Games following Incheon, our two countries will enjoy even deeper friendship and cooperation through sport.” The Fun Learn quiz was won by Nguyen Hieu Minh Khanh, aged 14. In the afternoon, 30 students took part in the Youth Reporter Project and had to write an essay on Vietnam’s “Queen of Judo” Van Ngoc Tu, a London Olympian and four-time SEA Games judo champion.

A panel of five judges from the OCA, Vietnam Olympic Committee and English teachers from Hanoi Amsterdam School chose Le Minh Trang, 14, as the winner. She will be invited to attend the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, Korea, as a member of the OCA media team in September 2014. Special guest at the press conference exercise was Nguyen Huu An, Director of the Vietnam Judo Federation. The festivities ended with the official dinner at the Hanoi Daewoo Hotel.